Apparatus for orienting tools



Sept. 22, 1953 H. P. ASTON APPARATUS FOR ORIENTING TOOLS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 3, 1948 N km W m5 M m W E IT N m m w M T E T H A Y B W Z Sept. 22, 1953 H. P. ASTON APPARATUS FOR \DRIENTING TOOLS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 3, 1948 Fig.2

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INVENTOR. I HERBERT P. ASTON A TTORNEYS' Patented Sept. 22, 1953 APPARATUS FOR ORIENTING TOOLS- Herbert P. Aston, Dallas, Tex., assignor to Sun Oil Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 3, 1948, Serial No. 58,081

4 Claims.

This invention relates in general to apparatus used in boreholes and more particularly to orienting devices for use in well boreholes as a controlling base for operations.

In opening the earths surface for the production of crude petroleum many strata of varied composition are traversed before the source of oil is reached. Some layers penetrated by the well drilling equipment are hard lime formations requiring drainage which can most easily be accomplished by the use of properly directed explosives. It is also the practice to drill horizontally into the area surrounded by the oil bearing layer to produce reservoirs in the well. A drilling device of this nature is shown in Pattent No. 1,886,820 to R. E. Lee, dated November 8, 1932.

The problem, however, of completing the necessary horizontal opening of the strata is frequently not solved in the initial drilling or use of explosives and further horizontal penetration is required. It is one of the purposes of this application to consider repeated opening of horizontally directed channels in the earth strata by properly orienting the drilling tool or explosive prglecto tg m ie;penetrating operations in csaiiieopening.

A flexibility of adjustment is required by which a penetrating device must be oriented in elevation as well as angular direction. Such requirement is found also in other operations such a as electrical exploration of the well and for which the disclosed device is particularly well adapted.

It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to disclose a device for orienting borehole operations.

It is a further object to disclose the apparatus for orienting borehole operations from a datum which i conveniently located in the bore disregarding other reference points such as the bottom or top of the hole.

Another object of this invention is to disclose a device which, when placed in a well borehole, will orient a horizontally directed perforating tool to repeatedly open the same hole and gain deeper penetration.

Yet another object is to disclose a device which will permit horizontal boring or explosive charges to be directedfrepeatedly into a chosen .locuisiwith'inapre-selected earth strata tgfafcili- .tate the production .Qf. (ZIP( With the foregoing in view and other objects which will be evident from the detailed description which follows, this invention consists essentially in locating a stationary element at a convenient depth within the borehole and attaching a movable element to the exploring or penetrat ing tool, the latter element designed to fit into the stationary element in only one Way, and the disclosure of one form of apparatus adapted to perform this operation. Thus the depth and direction of the operation are fixed and may be used until the proper results are obtained.

The further disclosure of this invention will refer to the accompanying drawing constituting a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference designate the same parts in all views.

Figure 1 is an elevation in section of the orienting guide in place in a well borehole.

Figure 2 is an elevation in section of the stationary element for insertion in the well borehole.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the movable element.

The numeral l0 indicates, in Figure 1, the side wall of the well borehole which may be either lined with a casing, an open hole or in a cemented area as is common in boring such wells. The described device will operate equally well under any of these conditions. The stationary element generally indicated as H may better be termed a mating tool and is most satisfactorily constructed from a borehole tool known in the art as a retainer production packer. The rod or orientingtool I2 is shown in position mounting a horizontal drilling element [3 such as described in the above noted patent to R. E. Lee and. selected as an example of one tool that may be used advantageously with this device. It may be replaced by any device capable of horizontal or angular penetration or any other tool generally used in borehole operations. For more rapid work, less operating equipment and satisfactory results, the use of an explosive discharging device is preferred in penetrating operations. A coupling I l, variable in length, as desired, may be inserted between the perforating tool and the orienting tool to obtain greater accuracy and flexibility.

Figure 2 shows the mating tool generally identifled by the numeral H which will be recognized as a modified packer. A setting sleeve l5 extends to receive a conventional setting tool which is well known in the art, forms no part of the present invention other than to be referred to in placing the mating tool in the well borehole, and is consequently not shown. Below the setting sleeve, a coarse left-hand thread It is chased in the body portion I! of the mating tool H, to engage a similar thread in the setting tool. The

hdle at @EEry operating part of the device.

The packer illustrated here in Figure 2 will be recognized by those versed in the art as closely following the structure shown in Patent No. 2,228,243 and the art indicated in the class of this patent. Such devices are well known, commercially available and are used generally for segregation and protection purposes in the well drilling art. As explained in the art referred to, a setting tool on which the packer is mounted is moved downwardly into the well hole casing until the required depth is reached, by means of iuhiw rgssure directed to act on the upper slips the packer is initially wedged into the the selected elevation. The setting tool is then pulled upwardly until the lower wedges are locked in place when it is disengaged from the left-hand threads I6. This leaves the packer fixed in permanent position as to elevation and also against rotation. The type of packer illustrated is the non-retrievable type made of drillable material. covered are equally usable and may be modified and used as herein disclosed.

The packer, as described, is converted into the mating tool II of this invention by channeling a longitudinal slot 22 inside the body portion l1 and cutting a recess 23 at the top of the threaded section I6 and opening into the setting sleeve I5. For complete use of this element as will be understood from the description of the operations later in this application, the packer must be hollow to permit the passage of tools through the body. The packer, which is well known in the art, has been selected as the immediate solution to the mating tool requirements but does not preclude other elements of like nature being used within the spirit of the invention.

The orienting tool, generally indicated as I2, is shown in Figure 3 and comprises a length of pipe or rod 25 which is reduced on the ends to receive an upper thread 26 and a lower thread 21. Outside the rod 25 a longitudinal rib 28 of a size to engage the slot 22 inside the body portion I! of the mating tool II (Figure 2) is provided. At the top of the rib 28 a stop lug 29 intersects the rib 28 and is fashioned to be inserted in the recess 23 of the mating tool. Attention is directed to the threads on both ends of the orienting tool the purpose of which will be understood on reading the following description of operation.

As an example of the use of the disclosed device, let the problem of penetrating a hard limestone formation for drainage purposes be considered. The depth of the strata having been ascertained by any of the well known methods of logging well boreholes, the mating tool II is attached to a setting tool (not shown) and lowered into the borehole. At a convenient depth the upper and lower slips, I8 and [9 respectively, are forced into engagement with the sides of the well borehole l as shown in Figure 1. The mating tool then being secured in place will resist external forces and torque far in excess of that required to orient the penetrating mechanism of the example, or any other tool which might be used.

The mating tool I I now in place, the perforating tool I3, with either a drill as used for illustration purposes or an explosive projecting weapon, is fastened to the orienting tool I2 by a coupling I4, as shown in Figure 1, and locked in Other types which may be replace by a lock nut 30 or other turning resistant connection. The orienting tool l2 has been described above as having thread connections 26 and 21, or other fastening means, on both the upper and lower ends. This enables penetration tools, particularly those using explosives, or other well bore tools and instruments to be attached for useeither above or below the mating tool and, if desired, in both positions. 'Ilhe projectile for use such work may be of the disintegrating type -firedjromagun, the use of which is well known in the art, or offlthe shaped charge type projected into. an already established aperture and later exploded by a'timefuse or other means.

""A'ft'er the perforating tool l3 of our example has been mounted on the upper end of the orienting tool I 2 leaving the lower thread 21 disengaged as shown or supporting an additional tool if desired, of the orienting tool I2, the combination is lowered to engage the properly located mating tool already placed. Slight rotation of the line or drilling pipe will engage the rib 28 with the slot 22 passing through the recess 23. Further lowering will fit the orienting tool firmly in the mating tool ready for the initial operation. Where explosives are used, it will be necessary to reload the firing and exploding devices which requires pulling the orienting tool and firing combination up to the surface to prepare subsequent charges. In drilling, a deeper penetration can be made but cannot be tested while the drilling tools remain in the hole. In either case further deepening of the initial penetration requires the orientation of the perforating tool which is afforded by the combined operation of the mating and orienting tools, used as described.

Where it is required that variations of depth or peripheral operations be made to include a part or all of the surrounding earth of the borehole, a change in the length of the coupling elements (one shown as M in Figure 1) may be made for both the upper and lower mounted tools, and the attached device may be rotated with accurate orientation through any part of the 360 circumference of the bore hole using the rib 28 of the orienting tool l2 as the initial zero operating point. At all times the operations are oriented for the crew working on the ground level after the mating tool has been originally placed. Although it is not necessary to directionally locate the mating tool as it can be set originally at random and used as a basis of operation as explained, it will be apparent that a directional setting can be made initially if desired. This can be accomplished by use of surveying instruments sighted on targets set in the derrick structure to indicate and align the engaging slot 22 of the mating tool II in the drill hole. This flexibility may not be required where repeated penetrating operations are desired, as described in the example above, but may be used in this operation or any other of the many problems met in well drilling.

The foregoing describes a means for orienting a variety of operations used in underground exploration and excavation, and although the drilling and explosive tools have been emphasized as the example, the spirit of the invention is much broader in its aspects as will be realized. Long pipes to connect the tools or instruments to either the top of the well, or to brace on the bottom, have been eliminated. Thus the equipment required for the operation has been reduced to a minimum with a consequent saving of time and expense. The facility with which the orienting tool can be used from the one position of the mating tool by increasing or decreasing the length of the couplings which connect the operating tools to the orienting tool together with the double end feature affording the use of two pieces of equipment at the same time, enable a number of operations at varying depths to be initiated or repeated from the initial setting of the mating tool. The rib 28 on the orienting tool being a ready base reference for the operating tools mounted thereon, gives a means, after the initial operation, of correctly revolving the mounted tools to encompass any part of the earth surrounding the borehole with accuracy. It will, therefore, be-understood that the initial location of the mating tool may be made with the purpose of using it as an established base from which a wide variety of operations may take place throughout the depth of the well and the surrounding earth.

I claim:

1. A guide for orienting repeated drilling operations in a well borehole comprising, in combination, an elongated tubular body provided with a longitudinally extending guide channel terminating at a point spaced downwardly from the upper end of the body and having a recess substantially aligning with said guide channel and extending upwardly therefrom to the upper end of said elongated body, upper and lower slips positioned...exterior of saidelongated, b'oq and a mpacking elerne t lrnounted.therebetween, a red with tool fastening means on the ends thereof, a rib and stop lug mounted on said rod to engage the guide channel and recess of the elongated tubular body.

2. A device for orienting borehole operations comprising a stationary member having a longitudinal passage therethrough, means external of said member to frictionally engage the borehole wall at a predetermined convenient locus; a movable member adapted to enter the passage in said stationary member, tool fastening means on each end of said movable member; and cooperating engaging means on the movable member and in the passage in the stationary member adapted to orient said movable member in fixed relation for successive operations.

3. A device for orienting bore hole operations comprising an elongate movable member, threads on each end of said member arranged to mount operational tools and instruments thereon; a tubular stationary member adapted to receive said movable member, frictional positioning means externally mounted on said stationary member; and cooperating engaging means positioned on the contacting surfaces between said members assuring repeated coaction in fixed and oriented relation for said movable members.

4. A device for orienting borehole operations comprising a movable member, threads on each end of said member constructed to engage operational tools and instruments; a stationary member adapted to receive said movable member therein, upper and lower slips mounted externally on said stationary member; and cooperating means within the stationary member and the engaging surface of the movable member to slidably engage them placing the movable member .in repeated and oriented relation.

HERBERT P. ASTON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,835,227 Lane et al. Dec. 8, 1931 1,851,319 McCoy et a1 Mar. 29, 1932 1,923,448 McCoy et a1. Aug. 22, 1933 2,020,471 Layne Nov. 12, 1935 2,189,703 Burt et a1. Feb. 6, 1940 2,227,347 Johnson Dec. 31, 1940 2,228,243 Baker Jan. 14, 1941 2,249,171 Quintrell July 15, 1941 

